Latest news with #FrenchGuiana
Sustainability Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Sustainability Times
'Cargo Shipping Just Changed Forever': Wind-Powered Vessel Hits 99.6% Usage, Slashes 20 Tons of CO2 Every Day
IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 The Canopée cargo ship uses advanced OceanWings sails to significantly reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. uses advanced to significantly reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. 🛳️ Canopée's sails contribute to an average daily fuel saving of 5.2 tons, highlighting the aerodynamic efficiency of the system. of the system. ⚡ The ship achieves a remarkable 99.6 percent system availability , proving the reliability of wind-assisted propulsion in commercial shipping. , proving the reliability of wind-assisted propulsion in commercial shipping. 🏆 Canopée's success has earned recognition from the French Académie de Marine, emphasizing its role in maritime innovation. In an era where sustainability is becoming increasingly crucial, the maritime industry is under significant pressure to innovate and reduce its carbon footprint. One groundbreaking solution has emerged from the collaboration of several forward-thinking companies. The Canopée cargo ship, a marvel of modern engineering, is leading the charge in demonstrating the viability of wind-assisted propulsion in commercial shipping. This vessel, designed to transport Ariane 6 rocket components from Europe to French Guiana, offers a glimpse into the future of eco-friendly shipping and the potential to revolutionize the industry. The Innovative Design of Canopée Canopée's design is nothing short of revolutionary. Equipped with four OceanWings sails, this cutting-edge vessel exemplifies the successful integration of hybrid electric and thermal power. These sails, created by the French startup OceanWings in partnership with VPLP Design, harness the power of the wind to significantly reduce fuel consumption. Remarkably, Canopée has completed two years of continuous operation, achieving an average daily fuel saving of 5.2 tons. This is equivalent to saving approximately 1,200 kilowatts of engine power daily. Such savings are not just theoretical; they are backed by robust data. The vessel's wingsails alone contribute approximately 1.3 tons of daily fuel savings per sail, translating into a reduction of over 20.8 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per day. This level of efficiency not only underscores the aerodynamic prowess of the OceanWings system but also highlights the potential for widespread adoption of similar technologies across the maritime industry. '100-Year Math Riddle Cracked': Penn State Student Solves Century-Old Puzzle That Could Supercharge Global Wind Energy Proven Success and Consistent Reliability Beyond fuel savings, Canopée's operational success is evident in its impressive reliability metrics. Over two years, the OceanWings have maintained a 99.6 percent system availability, a testament to the robustness and efficiency of the technology. The ship's operators, Alizés—a joint venture between Jifmar and Zéphyr & Borée—have ensured that the vessel remains a reliable component of ArianeGroup's rocket logistics. The continuous improvement of the OceanWings Software & AI platform promises even greater efficiency in the future. The vessel's consistent performance and the industry recognition it received—including the Henri Kummerman Prize from the French Académie de Marine—highlight the successful realization of wind-assisted propulsion as a practical and sustainable solution. The European CBAM : an attempt to regulate carbon imports Wind Propulsion: A Game-Changer for Shipping The significance of Canopée's achievements extends beyond its immediate operational metrics. On recent transatlantic voyages, the ship achieved fuel savings of 2.2 tons per day per wingsail, equivalent to about 510 kilowatts of engine power saved per sail. This impressive performance, coupled with a speed of 13.7 knots under sail power alone, underscores the transformative potential of wind propulsion technology. The collaboration between OceanWings, VPLP, Jifmar, Zéphyr & Borée, and ArianeGroup exemplifies the power of innovation in addressing environmental challenges. As these companies continue to refine their technologies, the maritime industry stands on the brink of a new era of sustainable shipping, driven by the practical application of wind energy. Three-tonne fuel savings per day: This revolutionary winged cargo ship sets a new maritime standard The Future of Maritime Innovation Canopée's journey is a testament to what can be achieved when expertise and commitment to sustainability converge. The vessel's success is not just a win for its creators but also a beacon of hope for the maritime industry's future. The seamless integration of wind propulsion into daily operations demonstrates the system's ease of use and its potential to become a standard in shipping. As the industry moves towards decarbonization, the role of wind propulsion becomes increasingly vital. Alizés, along with its partners, is leading the charge towards a more responsible maritime world. The question now is not whether wind propulsion will play a role in the future of shipping, but how quickly it can be adopted on a broader scale. Canopée has set a new standard in the maritime industry, proving that wind-assisted propulsion is not just a concept but a viable and effective solution. As we look to the future, the question remains: how will other sectors within the shipping industry embrace such transformative technologies to further reduce their environmental impact? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (28)
BBC News
3 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Biomass: ESA first images from forest spotting satellite revealed
The European Space Agency has revealed the first pictures taken by its new space satellite, images show in great detail a variety of landscapes from continents across the world including South America, Africa and Asia. Biomass' five-year mission will provide detailed three dimensional maps of the world's most dense and remote tropical instruments on board, it can measure woody trunks, branches and stems of trees. Biomass satellite: What has it captured? The Biomass mission was launched two months ago, on 29 April, from Europe's Spaceport in French to the ESA, these first images released mark a huge step towards understanding how Earth's forests are changing and exactly how they contribute to the global carbon cycle is the process in which carbon continuously circulates between the atmosphere, the earth, and living things like plants and vibrant colours in each picture were created using instruments on board Biomass, with each colour revealing different types of landscape. For example, green hues mainly represent rainforests, red areas are forested floodplains and wetlands, grasslands are pictured in bluey–purple, while black areas are rivers and lakes. The team say that, as the mission is in its early days, they are fine-tuning the satellite to make sure it delivers the highest quality data for scientists to accurately determine how much carbon is stored in the world's Biomass Project Manager, Michael Fehringer, explained: "Biomass is equipped with novel space technology, so we've been closely monitoring its performance in orbit, and we're very pleased to report that everything is functioning also expressed how happy scientists were with the pictures."Its first images are nothing short of spectacular - and they're only a mere glimpse of what is still to come," Fehringer added. What is ESA's Biomass satellite? Biomass is the first space satellite to carry a long wavelength radar, called special radar means that it can scan deep through the forest canopy and collect information on different parts of the forest, such as tree trunks, branches and stems - where trees store most of their will allow the satellite to provide experts on the ground with new information on forest height and above-ground forest biomass from will then be able to find out more about the state of our forests and how they are changing, and further our knowledge about the role that forests play in the carbon ESA mission will be divided into two phases:The first will provide detailed 3D maps of forests on Earth. This is important as it's not possible to find out the global mass of trees from the second phase will produce five global maps which will enable forest height and above-ground biomass to be hope is that this data will help experts better understand the state of our forests and how they are changing. Why is the Biomass mission important? Forests are full of trees and other plants, which absorb carbon dioxide and release animals, including humans, breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. This means trees help to provide us with the oxygen we need to referred to as "Earth's green lungs," forests absorb around eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each say that by absorbing carbon dioxide, trees prevent pollution, improve air quality and slow down the effects of climate able to calculate the global carbon cycle is essential to understanding how the world's forests are changing and the future effects this might have for our new Biomass mission has been designed to help scientists do just that.
Telegraph
08-06-2025
- Telegraph
Four die in apartment block e-scooter fire
'Fires caused by this type of battery…are extremely difficult to extinguish, since the cells tend to self-sustain when they burn, which explains the violence and speed with which the fire spreads,' he added. One resident of the block, named only as Faïza, told a local radio station she and her family narrowly escaped after hearing screams and seeing smoke everywhere. She said they had to leave everything behind as they fled. 'The flames took over the building so quickly, we didn't have time. We went downstairs and went straight out with the children,' she said. Faiza said she was friends with the mother of the two boys who died, who was away on a visit to French Guiana with her newborn baby girl. She added that she had seen the body of the boy who jumped lying on the ground. 'His feet were broken. He was burned,' she said. 'His eyes were closed. I could see that he no longer felt the pain. You could see that he was no longer there. He wasn't moving, he wasn't speaking, his eyes were closed.'
Malay Mail
31-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
France's prison population reaches record high, overcrowding crisis deepens
PARIS, May 31 — France's prison population hit a record high on May 1, with 83,681 inmates held in facilities that have a capacity of just 62,570, justice ministry data showed today. Over the past year, France's prison population grew by 6,000 inmates, taking the occupancy rate to 133.7 per cent. The record overcrowding has even seen 23 out of France's 186 detention facilities operating at more than twice their capacity. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, who has called the overcrowding crisis "unacceptable", has suggested building new facilities to accommodate the growing prison population. The hardline minister announced in mid-May a plan to build a high-security prison in French Guiana -- an overseas territory situated north of Brazil -- for the most "dangerous" criminals, including drug kingpins. Prison overcrowding is "bad for absolutely everyone," said Darmanin in late April, citing the "appalling conditions" for prisoners and "the insecurity and violence" faced by prison officers. A series of coordinated attacks on French prisons in April saw assailants torching cars, spraying the entrance of one prison with automatic gunfire, and leaving mysterious inscriptions. The assaults embarrassed the right-leaning government, whose tough-talking ministers -- Darmanin and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau -- have vowed to step up the fight against narcotics. And in late April, lawmakers approved a major new bill to combat drug-related crime, with some of France's most dangerous drug traffickers facing detention in high-security prison units in the coming months. France ranks among the worst countries in Europe for prison overcrowding, placing third behind Cyprus and Romania, according to a Council of Europe study published in June 2024. — AFP
Arab News
31-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
France's prison population reaches all-time high
PARIS: France's prison population hit a record high on May 1, with 83,681 inmates held in facilities that have a capacity of just 62,570, justice ministry data showed on the past year, France's prison population grew by 6,000 inmates, taking the occupancy rate to 133.7 record overcrowding has even seen 23 out of France's 186 detention facilities operating at more than twice their Minister Gerald Darmanin, who has called the overcrowding crisis 'unacceptable,' has suggested building new facilities to accommodate the growing prison hard-line minister announced in mid-May a plan to build a high-security prison in French Guiana — an overseas territory situated north of Brazil — for the most 'dangerous' criminals, including drug overcrowding is 'bad for absolutely everyone,' said Darmanin in late April, citing the 'appalling conditions' for prisoners and 'the insecurity and violence' faced by prison officers.A series of coordinated attacks on French prisons in April saw assailants torching cars, spraying the entrance of one prison with automatic gunfire, and leaving mysterious assaults embarrassed the right-leaning government, whose tough-talking ministers — Darmanin and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau — have vowed to step up the fight against in late April, lawmakers approved a major new bill to combat drug-related crime, with some of France's most dangerous drug traffickers facing detention in high-security prison units in the coming ranks among the worst countries in Europe for prison overcrowding, placing third behind Cyprus and Romania, according to a Council of Europe study published in June 2024.
